By Sigridur, a student in the College of Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Spanish
Vice Chair, VT American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Director of Recruitment, Hokie Ambassadors
Dean's Team, VT College of Engineering
Video (below):
Michael, Hokie Ambassador
Michael is a fourth year student majoring in civil engineering. In this video, Michael discusses undergraduate research.
First of all, being a part of the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech definitely gives you a confidence boost. I am proud to be a part of the nation's 13th best Engineering College. Coming in as a freshman, I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to take, luckily our engineering program is very organized. We have two different paths you can take: the Digital Track and the Design Track. The Digital Track includes Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The Design Path consists of all other disciplines.
You don't have to decide on a specific department until the end of freshman year, so by sophomore year you will be in one of the 13 engineering departments. I chose Mechanical Engineering because I would like to work in the energy industry; the Mechanical Engineering department has the most to offer within that field. Regardless of the path you take, you will have access to supportive faculty and great undergraduate research opportunities within the Virginia Tech College of Engineering.
Being a research institution, all of our professors are required to do some kind of research, so getting involved in a project is very simple. Talk to your professors to see what they're working on. You might find yourself interested, and more than likely, they would appreciate your help (not to mention it's a great resume booster). In most departments, in our senior year, we are required to do a senior design project. Senior design projects are a great way to incorporate the "hands on, minds on" training received during the first years.
My experience here at Virginia Tech has shown me how far you can take your learning. Freshman year I wasn't involved in many things, but starting sophomore year I decided to make the most of my time. I joined the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a professional organization within my major. Slowly, I started to understand how many opportunities there are here. Hopefully you will find whatever suits you best and make the most of it as well!
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Michael, Hokie Ambassador
Michael is a fourth year student majoring in Civil Engineering. In this video, Michael discusses undergraduate research.
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